At MMCA Film & Video, 11 works are being screened under the theme Art of the Real. MMCA, in collaboration with Film Society of Lincoln Center, aims to “reflect the trends and issues of non-fiction film and video art, and leave us with interesting questions as to the direction and spirit of current documentary.” It can be seen and felt through Art of the Real that documentary and non-fiction video are no longer of the same genre. Contemporary non-fiction has developed over the years into a mix-genre art form taking attributes from both documentary and fiction. This interesting mélange or better yet, oxymoron may reflect on out disarranged and complicated society we live in. The 11 works will give you insight into the different styles and approaches made by artists from all over the world. These include science fiction-inflicted works (White Out, Black In,Snakeskin), anti-biographical works (A thousand Suns), unorthodox portraits (What Means Something, Anna), etc.
Among the many authentic and artistic films being shown, A Poet on a Business Trip by director Ju Anqi, is not one to miss. A black a white film set in the birthplace of the director, the biographical film portrays a young Chinese poet’s journey through nothingness. In it, Ju carefully curates a series of amazing scenery balancing empty landscapes and rustic towns, humorously cheap music, sophomoric yet humanistic conversations and raw behaviors. By doing so, Ju successfully demonstrates that the ideology that nothingness is the not the equivalent of emotionlessness.